Cook Islands small in size, but big in visitor offerings

This prominent needle-shaped rock, Te Rua Manga, is a well-known geographic feature found near the middle of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands.

Photograph by: Monica Zurowski
, Calgary Herald

RAROTONGA, COOK ISLANDS — Hillary Clinton got it right.

When the former U.S. Secretary of State visited the Cook Islands last year, she praised the warmth of the people and the beauty of the islands.

The country, indeed, has a long-established reputation for being home to friendly locals and countless picture-perfect vistas.

It’s also known for its quaint size and small population. When Clinton visited — to attend a meeting of leaders of Pacific Nations — the government didn’t have enough SUVs for her motorcade; it needed to ask private citizens to lend their vehicles to the cause.

Clinton’s visit was also described by a South Pacific website as the biggest thing to hit the islands since a local rugby player ran naked on a busy waterfront. The stories surrounding the visit help demonstrate the charm of the Cook Islands, which are located about 4,500 kilometres south of Hawaii and serve up a buffet of delights for travellers.

This wonderfully isolated archipelago is comprised of 15 small islands, totalling 240 square kilometres in area. Those islands, however, are scattered across 2.2 million square kilometres of ocean — bursting upwards from the ocean as volcanic crops or coral atolls — and providing tiny islets of paradise in the South Pacific.

About 18,000 people live in the country, with the vast majority (13,000), living on the most populated and popular island of Rarotonga.

That means that the crowds that plague some sun and sand destinations aren’t a problem in the Cook Islands.

“You can be on a beach for four hours and not see another person,” says Jason Webb, owner of Downunder Travel Ltd. “You never have a crowd at the pool and you never have to get up at 5 a.m. to secure a sunbed.

“There’s a very relaxed feeling here,” he says. “You can unwind fast.”

The manageable size of an island like Rarotonga also means you can use the entire island as your playground. Many visitors rent scooters to zip around the island, which is easy to navigate since there’s only one main road that circles the island in a 31-kilometre loop.

You can also choose to get around via a public bus, which is a simple task. There are only two bus routes around the island: clockwise and “anticlockwise,” as the bus maps note.

“The whole island becomes your resort,” says Rawinia Lange, marketing manager for the Pacific Resort Hotel Group. “There are so many options and activities in terms of what you want to do and they’re all easily accessible.”

For me, I was intrigued by the idea of being able to hike across the entire island and the person to lead the way was “Pa.”

Pa, a colourful character, is a bit of a local legend. He began trekking here when he was four; he understands the natural medicines of the jungle; and, he’s led more than 4,000 hiking tours for visitors, including a discovery nature walk and the cross-island trek.

The trek isn’t an easy one. In fact, on the day I hit the trail with seven other hikers, steady rain made the steep inclines and descents even more challenging.

As we rested after a particularly strenuous section of ascent, Pa assured us we’d be OK. After all, of the half-dozen or so of his hikers who’d suffered heart attacks on the trek, only one had died!

We laughed nervously, nourished ourselves with pineapple and mango, and then continued weaving our way through lush vegetation.

For the significant majority of those who are fit, the challenges of the trek bring about great reward. You’re miles away from any sign of civilization in a seemingly untouched tropical jungle and there’s a true sense of accomplishment to be felt when you finish the half-day adventure.

The Cooks are filled with opportunities to undertake an adventure such as this, to relax and rejuvenate on a pristine beach, or to learn about a Polynesian paradise.

To gain an understanding of the local culture, a visit to Te Vara Nui Village allows visitors to take in information about island beliefs, legends, fishing, natural medicines and history.

At night, a cultural dance-and-music show at the village — along with a buffet featuring traditional food — is a must-do, as is Island Night at the Edgewater Resort, which is a celebration filled with local cuisine, singing and dancing.

The Edgewater also offers an impressive array of daytime activities for guests, including classes on how to create sarongs, make head garlands, learn traditional dances and drum like a Cook Islands master drummer.

To take in more of the island and some four-wheeling fun, check out the options at Raro Safari Tours. And, to learn about the fruits and vegetables that grow on Rarotonga, don’t miss the Plantation Dinner highlighted by a local feast, offered through Raro Tours.

“The authenticity of the Cook Islands is a primary reason why people come here,” says Thomas Koteka, general manager of sales for the Pacific Resort Hotel Group. “The people are real; they are friendly. The beaches are real; they are beautiful . . . There’s no place quite like this one.”

Downunder Travel: To plan a trip to the Cook Islands, you can talk to experts who specialize in South Pacific travel. Go here (you’ll also find a link to a special landing page here, which highlights upcoming Cook Island Christmas packages) or call 403-270-4414; toll free line is 1-866-470-4414.

Air New Zealand: The Cook Islands are located about 4,500 kilometres south of Hawaii. There is one non-stop flight to the Cooks from North America; it leaves Los Angeles on Air New Zealand. A variety of other flight options exist for travellers who include New Zealand in their itineraries.

To travel between various islands in the Cooks, check out Air Rarotonga.

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